Nick and Judy's firt time
by stevegallacci
Summary: Furry social mammals groom, regardless of species or gender, but pred and prey?
1. Chapter 1

Nick and Judy's first time

 **My enduring premise that, as social furred beasties, there would be a lot of social grooming behavior between the various individuals, as a practical matter, regardless of species or gender. But for a pred and prey couple like our heroes...**

Mid course break at the ZPD police academy couldn't come too soon. Nick Wilde stood at the gate of that august institute, glad to have it behind him for the short holiday respite. That sentiment seemed to be shared by the cluster of other students eager to go home or just get away from That Place.

He considered his classmates. Most were young, and for a few, this was their first real time away from family, and they were obviously anxious to go home. Nick felt like an old greymuzzel in contrast, he wasn't the oldest student to ever go thought the grinder, but he was, by nearly a decade, older than the rest in this class. And he felt just a tiny niggle of jealously that they had that kind of family to look forward to.

Well, except for Allen.

He looked over to the handsome Wolf, a perfect poster boy for the brightest and best of the next generation of the ZPD. And he was, too. Bright and athletic beyond that typical for a Wolf, he had it all. Or so it seemed. But as the youngest in the class, someone though it fitting that he be roommates with the oldest. And the most famous, the Bellwether Plot and its aftermath was still Hot News, with the most obscure.

Thinking of that bit of bad business, Nick could see a small scrum of paparazzi hovering outside, though at a rather respectful distance past the families waiting for the cadets to be set free. Fortunately for him now, those media maggots learned fast and hard how much the ZPD didn't like any harassment of their Favorite Daughter in Blue, and by extension, anyone connected with that infamous case.

The two Very Big Offices with their Very Big riot batons lounging just outside the gates were a reminder as to how much they objected.

"Students!" Shouted the Senior Drill instructor, the ever-lovely Ursula, very atypically decked out in her finest dress uniform, "In two ranks, Atten-Shun!"

The students automatically formed up. Then on command dressed to the right in open order. On further command, the rear rank marched backward for inspection order.

"Very good cadets!" The Ice Bear beamed at the formation as she strode between the rigid forms in attention, "I pray that you won't forget everything while you're away." As only a couple of the cadets were in uniform, she gave them extra scrutiny, then turned to the rest in civvies. "What a mess." She shook her head, "Pam, are you really going out like that?" addressing the Tigress in rather skimpy halter-top and short shorts. She blushed dramatically and whispered "boy friend."

She finished, standing in front of Cadet Wilde. "Cadet, give my regards to the Bunny." He ever so slightly nodded acknowledgement. She then stood back in best parade ground form, commanded the formation into closed ranks and then, with a final salute dismissed the class.

There was a collective Whoop as they broke ranks and most of them sprinted to the gate and their waiting loved ones. It was then that a flashy red convertible pulled up to the very no parking are in front of the gate, ushered in by the two Officers standing guard. It was Judy, making a very atypically dramatic entrance.

The surge of cadets stopped in awe of the arrival of the Very Famous Hero Bunny and a few did a bit of a double take on the Fox. He really really was That Nicolas P. Wilde after all.

"Nice ride" Though Nick was more admiring the driver. She had a sleeveless sundress on, topped with a big floppy hat and very stylish sunglasses, reminiscent of those sophisticated old romantic comedies that she loved so well. While they were just good friends, this was likely going to get the gossip rags going yet again.

"Just a loaner for the break." The bunny pulled off her shades to give, and receive, a better exchange of expressions. The two had been forced together by harrowing circumstance that had demanded that they trust their very lives to each other. But at the same time, had found that, despite outward appearances and some rather contrasting character, were very much kindred souls and had become close.

Nick then noticed two things, the car was designed for more mid-sized mammals, so the seats were pulled up almost as far as they could go, which meant that there was actually a fair amount of space behind them in what would otherwise be a two-seater. And that Allan was waiting for the shuttle bus that would take him to the metro station for the drawn-out ride back to the city and home.

"Judy", and with that she knew that something was important, "Can I ask you an awful favor?" Nick gave her his best big puppy eyes. "Can we give Whitehorse a lift back to the city?"

Judy didn't quite frown. She was hoping for a scenic drive and suspected Nick knew that too. To forego that for his room mate meant something more, and she was already thinking of several plan Bs when she agreed.

"Great!" And Nick whistled to the Wolf, who did a major 'Who, me?' then trotted over. "Allen, meet Judy Hopps, our driver for today, and Judy, Allen Whitehorse, destined to be the salutatorian for the ZPD class of '16.

Allen was stunned, these Celebrities, the Hero Saviors of Zootopia, were inviting him to ride back to the city? His tail wagged like a puppy's as he climbed aboard.

"So, Cadet, 'Whitehorse'?" Judy called out as she otherwise concentrated on maneuvering though traffic.

"I don't know the family story, but we're originally from the Great White North, so I guess there is something about that."

Judy then turned to Nick, nodding back to their passenger, "Salutatorian?"

"Well, as I'm going to be the valedictorian, that leaves only salutatorian for Allen."

"Oh really?" She gave Nick a look.

"Well, you've heard the old joke about aged experience and cunning victorious over youthful vitality in some form or another? Well, with my time on the street, which included a working knowledge of the criminal code and police procedures, I had a leg up on everyone to start. And I am a naturally nocturnal beast, so over-night cram sessions are less a challenge."

"Uhm, Wilde, aren't you forgetting how dragged you can get during the day afterwards?"

"That's why I have you as my loyal roommate, to peek at your notes if I missed anything."

Judy just had to ask, "So, what's he like as a room mate?"

"He snores."

"And you - " Nick cut himself off. Judy gave him a questioning look, "There are confidences between roomies that they will take to their graves." And with that Nick and Allen exchanged a look.

"Okay, so you won't warn me about the awful nasty habits I'll have to put up with later when we partner up."

"Sorry about that, ma'am."

The rest of the trip was spent in cheerful comparing of academy experiences. Judy was able to provide a few harmless warning about some future 'fun' they were going to experience, leaving out the 'good' stuff.

The drive back to the city was all too short with such good company, and Judy needed some navigation to get to their destination. Nick was the most experienced with the ins and outs of the tangled roads and knew where to go and how to get there. Whitehorse lived not so far from his past favorite haunts and he expertly gave directions, pointing out minor points of interest as they went.

Finally, they arrived in the 'Projects', state housing. A neighborhood of low rise apartments and some older duplex houses, not at all squalid as Judy half expected, just kind of drab. There was green space and some small bits of decorative plantings around, and in that, the place looked like mammals actually lived there, not just survived.

Whitehorse pointed out the specific unit, a bland apartment building among bland apartment buildings.

"You want us to go in with you?" Nick suggested. He knew Allen was on-goingly jazzed that he was associated with such a Famous Fox and thought he might want to show him off.

Instead the Wolf grimaced, "Not a good idea, but thanks."

Nick nodded, as he suspected he knew why. "Call me for a pick up back, never a problem."

"Thanks again, and a pleasure to meet you, Ma'am." And the young wolf all but slunk into the building.

Judy looked to Nick, "What was that all about?"

Nick attempted a neutral face, "Let's get out of here first."

Judy drove them to the bright center of Zootopia and a little plaza where they could find lunch.

"Nick, seriously, what was all that?"

"Well, first, that was 'a' projects, there are actually a couple-three other 'projects' in the city. City housing for various low-income situations." Nick's face went mournful. "Whitehorse's is the nicer one, mostly pensionless retirees, handicapped, and in his case, a not-so-recovering alcoholic mother and two older siblings, now with substance abuse problems."

"If you didn't know, pack life, an extended family, is everything to wolves. A single mother wolf is an awful position, both socially and psychologically. I don't know her whole story, just what Allen told me, but it sounds like his Mother has some kind of bi-polar disorder, combined with her drinking. His older brother and sister tried to raise him the best they could. But they were little more than kids to start, and over time they did odd jobs and petty crime to keep things going for their one hope for the future, Allen."

"So, despite the circumstance, he actually turned out okay. They were able to keep him in a kind of bubble, especially a younger cub. And not knowing any better, he just floated along."

Judy was a bit stunned by that. With her family background, with scores of siblings and extended family, the idea of small or even fractional arrangements seemed so unnatural, and in this case, particularly tragic.

"He did so well in school, both as an athlete and scholar that he was able to get considered for the academy as an option to a more conventional academic scholarship." Nick gave Judy a small sad smile; "He is also one of these crazy mammals who want to make the world a better place."

"You really like the Cub, don't you?" Gave Nick a warm smile back. He seemed so wary in his associations before, and this seemed a major mark of progress.

"When you are stuck in a dorm room no bigger than your shoebox apartment for months, you get to know a guy." Nick's face went more thoughtful. "Especially after the first few days."

Judy sensed there was something more to that.

"You noticed he's a wolf, didn't you?"

"Yeah...?"

"Very social, those guys. Can't stand to be alone in the social sense for any length of time. Allen was miserable after the first couple days. In class things were all right, but after hours, he didn't have his family, his pack, to comfort him. And the other wolves in the class weren't having much to do with him. Don't ask me why, 'cause I really don't know." A very dramatic hands up shrug.

"So, I found myself being his surrogate wolf pack."

Judy gave him a quizzical head cock at that.

"He needed someone to groom with and sometimes cuddle."

Judy tried not to snicker at the image in her head, while Nick gave her a disapproving look for her reaction.

"This was serious. And it did him a world of good." A big sigh, "And me too."

"I'd forgotten how soothing a good groom could be. Most grooming parlors are more for cosmetic brush outs, or in the wrong end of town, more for 'happy endings' than a proper work out. And those that do offer the real thing cost a ton."

Judy immediately thought of her own grooms, especially as a young kit, with her Mother or older Sisters working her pelt and brushing her out, how warm and relaxed they made her.

As a young adult, she was half-expected to have a friend, rather than a sibling, become her preferred groomer. But she had been rather focused on her chosen career from rather early on and didn't really have anyone she felt close enough to share. Not that grooming was all that intimate, hardly a prelude to sexual foreplay or anything like that, but it was something to exchange in trust. So, she hadn't had anything more than some superficial brush outs for some time now.

And she hadn't had a cuddle with anything beyond her collection of stuffies in some, now suddenly, lonely years.

"Before Allen, I hadn't had a good, deep groom since- " Nick grimaced, those kind of memories were a mistake.

They picked their way though lunch, both thinking thoughts of warmer, cozier times.

"Nick. How do you feel about a groom?" Judy asked, wistfully, and half to herself.

Nick's head cocked, then, warily, "Are you buying or something?"

"No. You and me."

Nick actively flinched at the thought. He had a deep affection for the little grey beast before him, but their relationship had been something of a rollercoaster early on, and fear and trust had been issues. "Do you think that's a good idea?"

"Do you think it's a bad one?" Judy challenged back.

"I dunno. Bloodthirsty fox dragging his claws across delicate bunny body parts? Who knows what might happen?"

"What? Ravish me, then eat my body and bury the bones in the park?"

Nick comically recoiled at the gristly image. "You are an awful thing. But, seriously, it seems a kind of nervy thing to do."

Judy gave Nick a somewhat pained expression, "If we're going to be partners, we're going to have to really trust each other." Her face then brightened, "And I do trust you, Nicholas P."

"Huh, so. Where do we do the deed? Not my place, 'squalid' would be too kind for it, trust me."

"My place is clean and close by."

And there they were, in Judy's apartment. She'd cleaned it up and added some small touches to make it less dismal, but it was still a tiny box of a place. The two of them stood a little apart, not quite sure what to do first. Nick broke the ice. "As this is literally a 'I'll scratch your back if you'll scratch mine', situation, which would you rather start with?" And he made little wiggly claw motions to show that he was ready.

Judy had been thinking thoughts on the drive over, and the prospect of pushing her paws through that lush red coat did have some rather interesting appeal, but at the same time, this was more than just some grooming. Considering some of her reactions to Nick, as a Fox, early on, this could also be considered a trust exercise.

"Unzip me." She offered her back to Nick to undo her dress.

"You sure?"

She only nodded. He carefully touched her back with one paw to hold the dress steady while he pulled the zipper down with the other. It went down to her waist, and he saw she wore conventional panties under. Considering her unpredictability, he would not have been surprised with granny bloomers or a string thong, or less. She stepped out of the dress, holding it to her chest as she stepped over to the bed. She laid the dress aside as she climbed up on the bed to a kneeling sit, her back still to Him. She looked over her shoulder with a cautious smile. "hi."

Nick stood beside the bed and touched Judy on the shoulders, giving her a gentle massage, just like the very chaste neck and shoulder rubs he had given her several times after a stressful day on the beat. Her muscles were particularly tight, was it anticipation, or fear? He skillfully worked the knots and after a few moments, Judy rolled her head with a contented sigh.

"Oh, thanks, that was great." She breathed, then lay face down. "Would you mind doing the rest of me like that?"

"oh My!" Nick wiggled his paws in exaggerated enthusiasm, but before he started, he had to ask. "As I am a gentlefox, I'll have to ask how much of the rest of you?"

"oh" Judy's ears blushed deeply, and she had to think a moment. "Well, nothing around the panties, and that includes the tail." Nick did his best pathetic whine to that, "And no tickling. I kick."

That was a real warning. She might be small, but she was powerful, and could do him damage. "Yes, ma'am!"

While Judy had been groomed at home, at least early on, she had never gotten that kind of deep and strong whole body massage. Nick's strong, yet gentle paws felt SO GOOD on her various muscle groups. A tiny part of her was also relieved that this all was just good clean grooming. While she was technically sexually receptive most of the time, the last thing she wanted was some involuntary reaction to his touch.

On the other paw, she was not reacting in fear at all either. She found that she really Really cherished this relationship; there might be something to the talk of kindred souls and such. But she was afraid that any wrong move, a bad reaction, could poison things. Though many months ago, the aftermath of the media fiasco was still a raw wound at times.

Well, for the moment, she was now a limp noodle and that ever so wicked Fox was now brushing her out. With his long reach, he could go from the top of her head to very politely over her rump and well down her legs in a single stoke. To that she had to comment. "Oh, Nick, I've got to apologize up front that I won't be able to - oh, that's sooo goood - be able to give you those kind of stokes."

Nick made a thoughtful little hum, "And I just realized something. You probably don't have a rake or really stiff brush for me, do you?"

To that Judy half rose in surprise, giving Nick a glimpse of her front, "Oh poot. I guess I'll have to use my terrible claws," and she made a little snarly killer bunny show of it, "At least for now." Nick was cheered that she was not self-conscious about her exposure. Not for his prurient interests, not that it was a thing at the moment, but that she could trust him so.

Judy found that she could give as well as receive, though she had to actually climb on Nick's back to have her weight help work her paws into his muscle groups. Nick's groans of pleasure got so loud that she had to stop and threatened him to a smothering with a pillow. Though the Boys weren't home, those other tenants in the building might hear too much and get some wrong idea about the bunny cop.

Then she was able to give him a credible rake out with her claws, and in doing so found things. "Nick, are these scars?" and she outlined the discontinuities she could feel under his thick coat.

"The results of an 'interesting' life, but nothing to worry about." Ironically, they were likely as old as Judy's own scars, received in his teen years.

When Judy was done with Nick she found that the exertion had tightened her back up. Nick was more than happy to give her a short rework. "Obviously I get to get the treatment first in the future."

They found themselves sprawled limp on her bed.

"That was wonderful," Judy sighed.

"And I have to admit that bunnies are a lot more fun than wolves." Nick returned the sigh.

He half-rolled to face her and fussed with a spot of errant fur on her shoulder. She hummed and shuffled herself to spoon into his curve, her state of undress no issue to the simplicity of another mammal's warmth.

Nick's eyes glossed, this was so precious, so rare, to have someone as delicate, as vulnerable, as this so trusting little bunny snuggled up to him. Any reservations he might have had before in his commitment to her as a comrade, as a partner, as her paladin, were now gone. Now only the challenge of making good on his resolve stood before him.

Hailstones, he'll get through the rest of his academy time standing on his head for her.

 **This is an earlier fragment touching on the issue of grooming and an alternate lead in to Nick and Judy's first time.**

Early on after Nick joins the ZPD and is still developing his relationship with Judy.

End of shift and Nick and Judy were so relieved to be done with the day. Nothing big nor boring, just busy and exhausting. They were getting the last of their paper work done when Judy remembered there was a bit of incomplete correspondence she needed to finish up. "Nick, you go on ahead, this will only take a few. I'll meet you in the lobby."

Nick self-consciously sniffed, it was a hard day, but not a hot one, then brightened, "Yeah, I'll just change, won't need to shower, so in a few."

Judy was relieved that she too figured she could pass on an immediate shower as well. To do it right would take a better part of another hour and she really wanted to get the precinct behind her after such a harried day.

"uhm, Officer Hopps?" It was Khan, a Tiger from the detective division, his face was crunched in consternation, "Can I ask a really big favor of you?"

"Now where is she?" Nick pouted aloud. After changing he'd been waiting, glancing at his watch, twenty minutes now. Even most of second shift had deployed and he was left with a rather bored Desk Sergeant Caribou who did Not want to see any more of his card tricks. "Okay, tell Hopps I've gone looking for her if she shows up. Probably found some more paperwork to do."

But she was not at her workstation. Still in the girl's locker room? Better go through the common break room between the two. And- !

There was Judy, sitting on the lap of a Tiger, Detective Khan, her top pulled down to expose her shoulders, and he's alternately licking and nibbling on the top of her head. And it looks like the rest of her head, neck, and shoulders have been well licked too. After the initial surprise, Nick settles into a lop-sided smile. "Aw, I'd have hoped you would have asked me."

The pair started in surprise. Judy was bemused; Khan blushed in embarrassment, quite a trick for a Tiger. "Tom likely figured you would won't taste any good." Judy observed.

"I, uhm, dunno." the Tiger was really flustered, "Afraid you'd make a bad joke about it."

"Oh Cheese, Kahn, everyone knows how gah gah you've been about being a new Father and how - tense- you've been with the Wife and Cub out of town and no one to groom." Nick added a little joking leer, "And I'd rather lick a Bunny than some musky old Fox myself."

Judy blushed with that.

"Seriously, Big Guy, most of the singles in the squad are grooming buddies already, so having us smaller folk play stand-in for your Cub is nothing to rag you about." Nick had heard that the detective division was a bit more formal and each detective worked more independently than the band of brothers feel of the beat cops. So if an immediate partner wasn't interested, there wasn't the same pool of comrades to socialize with.

The Tiger lightened up with that, "I can't thank you enough for this, Judy." And they shared a hug, then Judy climbed down from his lap and pulled her outfit back up. Kahn shook Nick's hand in gratitude for his understanding, then gave him an exaggerated sniff. "Yeah, I think you're right, Judy likely does taste a lot better."

Nick feigned shock and disappointment, but then gave him a friendly cuff, "You take care of yourself and give that cub an extra lick for us when they come back."

Khan let go a longing sigh, "Just a few more days."

The pair watched him go then Nick leered at Judy, "SoOoo, how was all that hot Tiger action?"

"The nibbling was a little weird, and that tongue could strip paint, but he was awfully sweet in a sad way. He Really Misses his family."

"You did him a big one." Nick gave Judy an appraising look. She was always like that, doing things big and small to make life better for the mammals around her. Early on there was cause to question her motives, as she was determined to prove herself, with possibly a level of attention seeking, often at the expense of procedure and unit cohesion. After a couple mistakes that put other officers in jeopardy and/or allowed suspects to walk, she had settled down very well.

That he was partnered up with her now meant that he had a particularly high bar to meet.


	2. Chapter 2

**Ooops. Intended Nick and Judy's first time as a simple one-shot, but neglected to push the right button, and got all these follows, likely expecting a follow on. I ever so briefly though of Nick and Judy's last groom, but that wasn't going to happen, I'm a Widower, and don't need that again. _How it Ends_ was my writing exorcism of that. So, a little bit of silly future out of my _Looking for Love_ AU. I may have other little grooming bits in the future  
**

Gah, another exhausting day on the set. Bernard looked around his suite, the film company has booked rooms for the cast and crew in the local four-star hotel, and as one of the producers, he had the choice of any of the poshest rooms in the place. Instead he chose a lesser suite, it could isolate a work and meeting area from his sleeping space without any of the more ostentatious features that others might opt for.

However, as a fully modern high-end hotel, the bed did include a groom mate, and he instructed the room to get it warmed up as he stripped down. Again, as a producer, he could have an army of aides and personal care specialists on hand in an instant, but the last thing he wanted was more obsequious mammals around him after a sixteen-hour shoot.

Thank goodness the production had hired all those assistant directors, reliable and respectful of the Grand Vision of the The Director. And doubled up on some of the crews. There had been grumbles early on from the Union, but when the shooting schedule was explained and assurances made that everyone was going to get their full rates, and time and a half for overruns, everyone was happy. Well, except for the poor actors, while they didn't necessarily have all day shots, they were required to stay available for the whole thing.

And as the head on-site producer, Bernard had to make sure it all came together. That's why he got the big bucks. Well, if it had been a huge, big budget Hairywood film, then yes. But here, screen credit and a guild-approved token payment was all he could look forward to. To be in the kind of project he really wanted, that was the kind of trade off he could live with.

And having a groom mate made it a little more tolerable. The room informed him that the grooming system was warmed and ready, though what setting did he want. He glanced at the display and smiled, "The Full Hopps Treatment".

Thank goodness for living in the 'future', no flying cars yet or tourist trips to the Moon, but consumer level AI that included a very good approximation of the massage and groom that his Father's Mate had perfected decades ago. How that became a thing for these systems was a mystery for all concerned, though considering who his Father was...

The grooming unit loomed down over him from the ceiling, looking more like a sci-fi torture device, and a pair of robotic paws elegantly swept in and began the process. With an array of sensors to track every nuance of the process, infrared imaging to track skin response, blood flow, and muscle relaxation, ultra-sensitive audio to pick up any vocal cues as well as respiration and joint flex response, and remote EM response to his nerve and emotional reactions.

It wasn't his Cindy, but she was back at home, struggling with her projects, and little Stewart, how he missed them both. As he was well on his way to becoming a well-boiled noodle, the unit gave him such a pinch on the buttock, and the room announced, "A pre-recorded message from Cynthia Verschuka."

"If you're getting a full Hopps Treatment and it isn't from me, you'd better expect a pinch, and more, if you dare go any further."

"Room, stop the groom, please. And please call Cindy."

In a moment, a display held the face of his best beloved. "Hello, my sweet."

"And hello to you, scruffy beast." She gave him a smug glance.

"Got your message." He grimaced.

"And I hope it hurt." She stuck out her tongue.

"You'll be happy to know it stung like the Dickens."

"Which is as it ought." Then a sigh, "Miss you."

"Not as much as I miss you."

"Careful, I've got an app for calculating that."

What, measures the teary eye/deep sigh/broken heart beat ratio?"

"Something like that."

They simply looked at each other's images for a long moment.

"How's the monster?"

"The one in the shop, or the one drooling on your side of the bed?"

"Is he doing alright?" Stewart could fuss when one of them was not at home, and extra cuddling seemed his only comfort.

"He misses your brush." A running joke in that though she had a magnificent brush of her own, the kit preferred his Father's merely adequate tail.

"And I miss the dislocations." And those occasional discomforts were more than worth it. "And I miss you." He was not going to tear up, but his nose refused to cooperate and he was not able to refrain from sniffling.

"Just another week, you said." She gave him a stern look.

He grimaced, "Looks like an extra day, though we went long and got a lot more done than hoped today. That's why I needed the full treatment."

"And that's why I'm holding your comfort hostage, the sooner you get the thing done, the sooner you can get My Full Treatment."

"oh! Yes Ma'am!" There was promise of a lot more than a groom in that.

After the call, Bernard was left alone to try for sleep. He piled up a mass of pillows to tuck into his curve; he'd gotten too used to a warm spoon and couldn't sleep without it. Some hotels had inflatable 'cuddle buddies', but he found them kind of horrible.

Only a few more days, and then his Mate and Kit would be his again.

 **Bernard would become an actor in a couple versions of the Wilde-Hopps future (see _How it Ends_ ) but would do more better work as a Director and Producer.**


	3. Chapter 3

Grooming in wartime.

 **So, here we are with a spin-off from Selaxes' quasi WWII AU, _Red Tails and Wilde Skies_. I started playing with an idea of an all rabbit Hurricane unit, and then began to think of more grooming content. Of course, back in the day, our males were stoic, enduring types who didn't need all that warm and fuzzy cuddle and groom. Or at least would never admit to it.**

A knock on the Sgt. Major's door. The old hare took off his glasses, only really needed them to process paperwork. What was it about the army marching on its stomach? Nowadays it seemed to march on a highway paved in foolscap.

"Enter!"

In stomped an old raccoon, in an old cut uniform, night warden armband. These old codgers could be comical, playing soldier, but they were a true help in padding out the ranks for non-essential duties.

"Night Warden Hutchison, reportin'!" There was crispness in his presentation, not just playing soldier, then the Hare saw the ribbons on his tunic. There were only three, and not at all flashy, especially as they were as vintage as the tunic. He rose to attention in the presence of a Zootopia Cross holder. Only one in a score was not awarded posthumously.

"Please Sgt Major, I'm just an old 'coon still doin' my part." The raccoon glanced around warily.

"Of course." The Hare gestured for an at ease that the raccoon recognized, as he recognized the Hare's old campaign ribbons as a fellow veteran. "What's up?"

"I'm not sure, Sgt Major." He looked a bit embarrassed, "Its the Bunnies, in their barracks."

"oh?"

"I'm new to the unit and I've never served with you rabbits before, so I don't know all your habits." The Hare made a little face, but let him continue. "Down in the bomb-proofs, I found that they had pulled some of the mattresses off the bunks and were all sleeping in a pile."

While there were typical mid-size mammal housing for all the members of the unit erected, the rabbit population had converted simple slit trenches into elaborate re-enforced warrens and more often than not preferred the slightly cramped and sometimes dampish accommodations.

The Sgt. Major smiled at that. "As they are Bunnies, not _Hares_ ," And the Raccoon caught the emphasis, "They are more used to a more communal life style. After a tough day, they'll want, eh, need the mutual comfort of each other to be able to settle down."

"The unit did a lot of flying today, we got seven Junkers, a new record for us, but we lost two of our own, and all the lads were awfully down about it."

While the dozen or so pilots of the squadron did the actual fighting, and dying, they were the investment of the hundred odd support troops that kept them going. Each victory was a point of pride for everyone that had contributed, but each loss was a bite out of the collective heart of the unit.

"Ah, cuddlers. I half-wondered about that, but didn't know how the unit handled such. Back in my day, every unit had to handle it differently with each species." The Raccoon thought of the sometimes rather awkward situations of an officer with one expectation having to deal with very different requirements of those of another species under him.

"Yes, we tolerate cuddlers here now, and individual groomers too, no squad level by-the-numbers brush and stroke." The Hare and Raccoon smiled at that. At one point early on, regulations were drafted for formal one-size-fits-all group grooming, to avoid unseemly individual conduct, of course, and the breadth and depth of that failure was still taught as a how not to at the academy.

"It there anything else, Hutchison?" The Sgt. Major stepped out from behind his desk, his cane part of his souvenir of the first War.

The Raccoon had previously recognized his ribbons and nodded to the cane, "From the Peninsula?"

"Long range artillery. Never got to the front, kept on getting pounded and patched, have enough metal in me still for a scrap drive. But they let me stay in, likely figure all a sergeant needs is a good pair of lungs. You?"

"With the 74th." Nothing more be said. The 74th was one of the first regiments to discover that a stout heart and steady hand was no match for machine gun fire on the modern battlefield. It was only that the enemy had not perfected their use of that terrible tool that the 74th's story was not simply ignominious slaughter, as so many later units would suffer.

"Next time in town, the first pint's on me." The Hare offered his paw.

The Raccoon gripped it with enthusiasm, "Only if I get the next." And winked.

Then the Sgt. Major paused, "With all the talk of grooming, can you recommend a local honest groomer? I'm not about to order one of my Privates to give me a once over and I can only do so much for myself."

A chuckle to that, "Yeah, that wouldn't do. Down in Black Brook, the Barbershop on the main road does a great job, but you have to ask. With all the troops in the area now, they don't want to become overwhelmed, so don't advertise. Quality versus quantity, ya know."

And they parted ways.

The Sgt. Major regarded the night-cloaked aerodrome. He hoped his officers were able to find some level of comfort, as the troops seemed to have. This all _Lago_ unit had its advantages; certainly the logistics were simple enough.

As a Hare, he wasn't as desperate for the kind of collective cuddle as his rabbity charges, but there was still something to be said for a shared bed-warming and a little scritch. But his long time companion was history now, and he felt he was getting too old to try to find a new special someone. Dating at his age, not hardly.

The CO was likely still up; he didn't envy that position, but suspected he could stand a little interruption. Especially writing those letters. He had a flask of particularly vile rotgut that would be all too appropriate for a night like this. The CO's good stuff was better spend on happier times.

"Sir?" the Sgt. Major peeked in after a polite little knock.

"No rest, eh?" The CO was an almost comical white ball of fluff that belied an able administrator and one-time ace pilot. "Come on in Sgt. Major, and share your woe on this dark and stormy night." He enjoyed his little theatrics, and it was a welcome change from the dried up stick of a martinet that had been his previous commander.

"Our new night warden has discovered the fluffles down in the warrens."

"Oh, has he." the Officer wanted to laugh, but in light of the likely day's need, could only sigh. "How are the troops?'

"Okay. But I came more for your sake." He flourished the flask.

"Ah, sweet oblivion."

"Sweet would not be a word I'd use for this particular 'medicinal' treatment." But he held the flask back, "You don't have anything left that you need to be compos mentis for, do you?"

The little Rabbit sighed heartfeltly and held up two fat envelopes. "My blood duty is done."

The Sgt. Major nodded and handed the vile potion over and the CO took a long pull. He made a particularly awful face, but to his credit, didn't choke on it. "Petrol? Was that petrol in the 'flavoring'?"

"I dare not ask. All I know is that I wasn't blind or dead the next day, so it can't be too bad." He took a sip as well, though wasn't going to indulge too much. He still had to walk back to his barracks afterwards. "To our fallen."

The CO took it back and did another pull, "To our fallen."


End file.
